Visualization: GDP by metropolitan area and component

An interactive visualization of gross domestic product by metropolitan area and industry.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis, an agency of the United States Department of Commerce, gathers data about economic output, known as gross domestic product. The visualization I created presents this data in tabular and graphic form.

The GDP figures are real, meaning adjusted for inflation. They are annual numbers through 2020.

Click here to access this visualization. For more visualizations, click here.

BEA offers this material about GDP:

The value of the goods and services produced in the United States is the gross domestic product. The percentage that GDP grew (or shrank) from one period to another is an important way for Americans to gauge how their economy is doing. The United States’ GDP is also watched around the world as an economic barometer.

GDP is the signature piece of BEA’s National Income and Product Accounts, which measure the value and makeup of the nation’s output, the types of income generated, and how that income is used.

BEA also estimates GDP for states, metropolitan areas, and most U.S. territories. Work is underway to produce GDP statistics for each county. We publish GDP by industry, as well.

What can you do with GDP numbers?

Answer questions like:

  • How fast is the U.S. economy growing?
  • How does my state’s economy stack up against others?
  • Which industries are growing? Which are slowing?

The White House and Congress use GDP numbers to plan spending and tax policy. The Federal Reserve uses them when setting monetary policy. State and local governments rely on GDP numbers, too. Business people use these stats when making decisions about jobs, expansion, investments, and more.